Cowboys flock to DT. NFLDraftcountdown

[Avery]

And don't be shocked if Nugent slips into the bottom of round one/top of round two. This guy is the real deal.

And I accidentally pushed 'Quote' rather than edit above. I suck at life.

 

[Portland Fanatic]

If we use a first on Hawthorn, I will be pissed. I watched a good number of Wisconsin games and specifically watching him and wow was I unimpressed. A short fat guy. Granted he never really got blown off the line but didn't exactly make many plays either. He almost looked overweight to me.
There are established, young, quality DTs that are FA's this year and they don't typically break the bank...their names are Ferguson, Williams, and Simon.
If we pull very many more stupid stunts in the offseason and esp on draft day, I'm flying down there and self appointing myself as GM. I should be able to fix at least one or two things before the cold steel restraints hit my wrists.

I don't know what games you watched, but I saw two games on TV this year...I specifically watched HAwthorne because I was high on him...he consistantly pushed his doubel teams into the backfield disrupting plays. The big knock on him is taking plays off every once in a while, but under BP...that will not happen. If we can get a good rotation guy...he should not have any problems....

At #20...and we did not address the NT position in FA...I think we take the guy.

I'm hoping we sign Pat Williams or Ferguson...then take a player in the 4th like Bryant, or the kid from Missouri...so we can grab Spears or Sean Cody...as the 3-4 DE.

 

[Woods]

I don't know what games you watched, but I saw two games on TV this year...I specifically watched HAwthorne because I was high on him...he consistantly pushed his doubel teams into the backfield disrupting plays. The big knock on him is taking plays off every once in a while, but under BP...that will not happen. If we can get a good rotation guy...he should not have any problems....

At #20...and we did not address the NT position in FA...I think we take the guy.

I'm hoping we sign Pat Williams or Ferguson...then take a player in the 4th like Bryant, or the kid from Missouri...so we can grab Spears or Sean Cody...as the 3-4 DE.

That's what I would ideally want to do . . . . Pick up a vet nose tackle in FA, and take antoher mammoth run stuffer in the 3rd or 4th.

Heck, given that we're supposed to get about 2 comp picks in the 6th round, we could even take a flyer on yet another 3-4 DT . . . .

 

[Hiero]

DT has to be fixed somehow. I wouldnt mind at all taking him or wright with the 20th pick. Either way we've gotta fix our DT spot, were not having Carson back for another pathetic year.

 

[Woods]

DT has to be fixed somehow. I wouldnt mind at all taking him or wright with the 20th pick. Either way we've gotta fix our DT spot, were not having Carson back for another pathetic year.

I don't think Wright is coming out this year.

 

[dmq]

Hey, we are looking at options. Maybe we want to talk to him because we may trade down with our first or second 1st rounder and he may be available while other DTs we want are not. At least you know the Cowboys know how bad we need a DT.

 

[Doomsday101]

From the Texans Website:
The 3-4 defense is known for its playmaking linebackers, but the secret ingredient to make it all work is the man down low in the middle of the line. Anttaj Hawthorne is one such individual who can be the needed plugger to make stars of his linebacker teammates.

Hawthorne spent much of the 2003 season in the opposition's backfield. Of his 75 tackles, 20 of them - that's more than one out of every four - came from behind the line of scrimmage. Using brute strength and aggression, Hawthorne implodes running games before they start. In an upset win over Ohio State last year, he led the way in shutting down a potent Buckeye rushing attack, allowing just 69 yards and tossing in a pair of sacks to boot.

Despite all those tackles for a loss he notches in his headboard, Hawthorne won't be one of those inside pass rushing tackles that racks up sack totals. While Hawthorne's agile enough to penetrate the offensive line quite often, he lacks the footspeed to catch most quarterbacks. That lack of pass rushing ability is not as much of a concern for the 3-4 scheme employed by the Texans, but Hawthorne could stand to improve his footwork and hand technique since he won't be able to bully NFL interior linemen like he does the linemen of the Big Ten Conference.

As a nose tackle prospect, Hawthorne is comparable to a smaller version of Vince Wilfork, even down to a Wilfork-like tendency to disappear for stretches. Wisconsin's line coach says Hawthorne needs to avoid being lazy at times, but that shouldn't be confused with Hawthorne's love of the game and his talent to become a player on Sundays. Hawthorne plugs the middle as good as anyone in college football, and with his physical mindset that no one runs up the middle on him, he will be a dominating nose tackle in the NFL.

 

[TheSkaven]

And finally, you can take it for what it is worth but after practice scouts usually rush to talk with certain players and here is a list of some of the things I saw: DT Anttaj Hawthorne of Wisconsin was mobbed by Dallas scouts, Carolina talked with J.J. Arrington, Michael Roos and Manuel White, who they told he was a good fit for their system, Baltimore spoke with Adam Terry, Taylor Stubblefield talked with San Francisco and New Orleans, Cincinnati and New Orleans sought out OG Marcus Johnson of Ole Miss, Ben Wilkerson spoke with Kansas City and Corey Webster conversed with Carolina as well as former NFL safety Marcus Robertson, now working with the Titans. Could any of this be a sign of things to come? We shall see.

I am wondering if anyone keeps archives of these tidbits from previous years, and if we can tell if Dallas drafted any of the guys that people reported we were high on in the pre-draft run-up. Just curious, maybe I'll start stashing these away. Would be a good way of knowing whether or not they're real indicators of our interest level.

 

[SuspectCorner]

i like hawthorne alot. he could hold ground against the run,keep the double teams off la'roi glover, and also allow dat to make more plays. any penetration he gets is just a bonus. but i think he'll be gone by the time our 2nd-round pick rolls around at #43 overall. depending on what happens in FA - dallas may not even go that direction.

 

[Chuck 54]

I'm getting to the point where I don't care whom they draft, but we'd better get to at least 9-7 next season or I'll be pissed.

 

[trickblue]

And I accidentally pushed 'Quote' rather than edit above. I suck at life.

Well... at least we don't have to have that "talk" now... you realize your ineptitude...

 

[Avery]

Well... at least we don't have to have that "talk" now... you realize your ineptitude...

Thanks dad.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I am wondering if anyone keeps archives of these tidbits from previous years, and if we can tell if Dallas drafted any of the guys that people reported we were high on in the pre-draft run-up. Just curious, maybe I'll start stashing these away. Would be a good way of knowing whether or not they're real indicators of our interest level.

There were reports from last year's Senior Bowl that our scouts seemed to be very, very interested in Julius Jones last year. And Kevin Williams, too, who we later admitted to wanting to trade down and take.

 

[Cowboy from New York]

I am wondering if anyone keeps archives of these tidbits from previous years, and if we can tell if Dallas drafted any of the guys that people reported we were high on in the pre-draft run-up. Just curious, maybe I'll start stashing these away. Would be a good way of knowing whether or not they're real indicators of our interest level.

Actually, for what its worth, I just read an article over at cowboys.theinsiders.com that was bragging a little about their "scoop" last year the Dallas was talking to and interested in Julius Jones.

 

[btcutter]

Reported that Antajj Hawthorne was mobbed by Dallas scouts after practice today. Stay tuned!

I just want to know if he was able to hold the line like a good NT would.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Those who think we should wait for another DT or pass on Hawthorne at 20 should really look at the draft and understand where the depth is. This draft is not deep at DT. I definatly think it's prudent to see how he grades out but I suspect he's going to be taken higher then he grades. Teams need DTs and they will reach for one. If he's there at 20 and he carries a grade in that general area, then it would be silly for us to try and wait.

 

[SuspectCorner]

Those who think we should wait for another DT or pass on Hawthorne at 20 should really look at the draft and understand where the depth is. This draft is not deep at DT. I definatly think it's prudent to see how he grades out but I suspect he's going to be taken higher then he grades. Teams need DTs and they will reach for one. If he's there at 20 and he carries a grade in that general area, then it would be silly for us to try and wait.

i kinda worry about the cowboys reaching for need at any particular position. i hope they stick to the BPA approach this time. i really think reaches have been the entire problem over the last decade. that and a lack of 1st round picks.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

The thing is the signing of Pat Williams would fix the position for a year or two.

I'm probably nuts but I think Blade could help this team in '05.

 

[lkelly]

I'm probably nuts but I think Blade could help this team in '05.

Do they need someone to clean the bathrooms or get Parcells water?

 

[Doomsday101]

i kinda worry about the cowboys reaching for need at any particular position. i hope they stick to the BPA approach this time. i really think reaches have been the entire problem over the last decade. that and a lack of 1st round picks.

I'll stay with BPA that fits a need. Most of the time the grading you see on these boards are quite close and if I have TE rated just a bit higher than a DT well sorry I'll take the DT because it does fit the need yet is not ranked much lower than the TE that does not fit a need on the team.